Academy of the Ministry of Interior
At a glance
| Bulgarian name | Академия на МВР |
|---|---|
| Established as an academy | 2002 |
| City | Sofia |
| Type | Public higher education institution |
| Purpose | Preparation of public servants for the Ministry of Interior |
| Academy holiday | 1 October |
| Historical faculties | State Security, People’s Militia, and Fire Protection |
| Website | mvr.bg/academy |
Source: Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Академия на МВР; Official website: Academy of the Ministry of Interior1,2
History
The Academy’s history is connected to the development of police training in Bulgaria. In 1925, a school head was appointed and the first 70-day training course began on 21 December, for 34 senior guards. Further courses followed for junior guards, traffic regulation, group leaders and agents. From 1937, the police education system expanded, with new curricula and a wider range of general and specialist courses. The State Police School dissolved on 8 September 1944.1
After the Second World War, the Ministry of Interior developed new training arrangements for its personnel. A Central School of the Ministry of Interior was established in March 1949 by combining three militia schools with the school of the State Security Directorate. It was named after Georgi Dimitrov that year. In 1952, it was reorganised as the Higher School “Georgi Dimitrov”.1
The institution became the Higher Institute “Georgi Dimitrov” in 1987 and the Higher Institute for Officer Training and Research in 1991. On 14 June 2002, a decision of the National Assembly transformed that institute into a university named the Academy of the Ministry of Interior.1
Academic development
The Academy is described as a higher education institution for preparing public servants to meet the needs of the Ministry of Interior. Its predecessor institutions developed from short professional courses into longer specialist programmes. The Higher School introduced one- and two-year courses, while a two-year law course began in 1957. In 1987, the Higher Institute adopted a five-year study period.1
- State Security
- People’s Militia
- Fire Protection
Source: Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Академия на МВР1
The Academy has its own flag and seal, and its institutional holiday is 1 October.1
Location
The Academy is in Sofia, Bulgaria. In 1948, buildings of the former American College in Simeonovo were assigned to the Ministry of Interior school. The account places the institution at approximately 42.631389° north, 23.370556° east.1
Sources
Facts checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information. Check admissions, fees and programmes with the university before applying or recruiting.
